What is latent heat?

Latent heat refers to the energy absorbed or released during a phase change of a substance without a change in temperature. This concept is crucial in understanding processes such as melting, boiling, and condensing. When a substance undergoes a state change, such as from solid to liquid or from liquid to gas, the required energy for this transformation is the latent heat.

For instance, when ice melts to become water, it absorbs latent heat. During this process, the temperature of the ice and the resulting water remains constant until the entirety of the ice has transitioned into the liquid state. This characteristic distinguishes latent heat from other forms of heat transfer that involve temperature changes, such as sensible heat, which is the kind of heat that raises the temperature of a substance.

In essence, the concept of latent heat is pivotal in thermodynamics, especially in applications involving heat exchangers, refrigeration, and steam generation, where understanding phase changes is important for system efficiency and performance.